Valve-gear and ignition mechanism.



J. H. LONDIGK.

VALVE GEAR AND IGNITION MECHANISM.

APXLIOATION FILED JAILZ. 1909. 976,478. Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-$3321 l.

V mimrsnm Allumrgn JQH. LONDIGK. VALVE GEAR AND IGNITION MB GHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAILZ, 1909. 976,478. Patented Nnv.22, 1,910.

3 BHEBTQ SHBET 2 APPLICATION FILED JAN.2; 1909.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 3,

Amurntnr Alhgnuga:

JOHN H. LONDI-CK, ALMA, MICHIGAN.-

VALVE-GEAR AND IGNITION MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

Application filed January 2, 1909. Serial No. 470,498.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN H.Lo1vn1on, a citizen of the .United States, residing at Alma, in the county of Gratiot, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve-(fear and Ignition Mechanism; and I do declare the following to be' a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speci fication.

This invention relates to valve gear and ignitionmechanism for internal combustion engines, and consists in the construction and arrangement of arts hereinafter more fully set forth and pomted out particularly in the claims.

The object ofthe invention is to produce a comparatively simple and efficient valve mechanism, and to associate with and operate in conjunction with the valve mechanism an igniter whereby thespeed of the engine may be controlled through the operation of a centrifugal governor. I

.A- further Ob ect of the invention is to provlde eiiicient mechanical means for carrying into effect the operations above set forth.

The above objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawlngs, In which Figure 1 is an elevation of an engine of theinternal combustion type, showing the operative parts in connection therewith which embody my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section of the valve controlling and spark" producing mechanism. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the position of said parts at a different period in the cyclejof operation. Fig. 4: is

a plan View of the block in which the electrodes are mounted, showing the ends of said electrodes and a portion of the igniter rod.

" Fig. 0 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section through a portion of the wall of.

the explosion chamber, showing the block carrying the electrodes seated therein, and

some of the parts for actuating the movable electrode. Fig. 6 is a sectional View through the mechanism showing the position of parts during the exhaust stroke. Fig. 7 is a similar View showing the position of parts dur ing the compression period. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view, through a bracket which supports the valve rod, showing the electro-magnet for actuating the latch to release saidrod. Fig. 9 is a plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1

designates a cylinder which may be of the type commonly employed in internal combustion engines. Within the cylinder is the ordinary piston, not shown, to which is attached a connecting rod 2 which is in turn journaled on the crank 3 of the crank shaft 4t which carries the usual fly wheel 5. Uponthe outer end of the'shaft 4; is a cam ring or collar 6 having a raised cam face7. The

crank shaft is journaled in supports 8 rising from theframe 9 upon which the cylinder 1 is mounted. supported at one end to slide longitudinally in a bracket 10 which is carried on the frame,is a valve "rod 11. The other end of said valve rod is supported to slide longitudinally in a bracket 12 carried on the cylinder of the engine. The end of the valve rod adjacent the crank shaft is provided with an antifriction roller 13 which is adapted to roll upon the surface of the cam 7, whereby longitudinal movement is imparted to said rod in one direction. To return said rod after being acted. upon by said cam, a coiled spring 1 1 is employed which isconfined between a collar 15 fixed on the valve rod and the end of the bracket 12, the arrangement being such that as the valve rod is moved forward by the action ofjthe cam, said spring is compressed, the tension of which returns said rod after the .high point of the cam has passed from engagement with the roller 13. By this arrangement a reciprocatory movement of the valve rod is provided for. Depending from the collar 15 is" an arm 16 which is connected. to the'piston 'rpd of a pump 17 through the operationof which gasolene is supplied to the carbureter of the engine, as

will'be well understood. Carried by the forward end of the valverod and ri idly secured thereto are the parallel stan ards 18 which are spaced from each other and between which is pivoted at 19 the oscillais formed'a notch-2 2. Pivotally. mounted at secured a curved spring 25 which extends vertically and whose upper end engages a pin 26. The lower end of the spring tends downwardly below .the standards 4'9 and isprovided with a projecting point Pivoted to the under side of the bracket 12 I is an arm 28, the forward end of which is notched andthe inner end of which carries an adjusting screw 29. Within the case 30 inclosing the combustion chamber 81 is an intake valve 32, the

-stem 33 of which passes through the wall of the intake pipe 34 and earnest; seating spring 35'. Also within the combustion chamber is seated the exhaust valve 36 which controls the passage to the exhaust port 37.

The stem 38 of the exhaust valve passes through the case and its outer end stands directly in alinement with the end portion 21 of the oscillatory lever '20. Mounted upon the outer end of the stem of the exhaust valve is a seating spring 39.

Pivoted' at one end to the upper end of the'oscillatory lever 20 is the igniter rod 40 the opposite .end of which is carried to reciprocate in support 41. Rotatable in a block 42 which extends into the combus-.

tion chamber is a shaft 48 carrying the movable electrode 44. The upper end of the shaft 43 extends through saidxblock and has attached thereto the fiat curved spring 45.

Embracing said shaft is a coiled spring 46, I

one end of which is attached thereto and the other end to the bearing through which the shaft passes.

therefrom, the inner end ofsaid electrode being adapted to be engaged by the free end of the electrode 44 to form the, so called, make and break spark, as will be well understood. Fixed to the igni'ter rod 40 is a catch 48, which, as said rod moves in one direction is adaptedto engage the flat spring 45 and swing the shaft. 43 against the action. of the spring 46 to carry the movable electrode into contact with the fixed electrode, at the same time placing sufiicient tension upon the spring 46 -as to cause a sudden separation of said electrodes when said catch passes from engagement with the spring 45, .thereby producing a spark between the electrodes, as ,iscommon in the art.

Mounted inthe bracket 12, as shown in Fig". '8, is an electro-magnet 49 having a pole piece '50 extending through said bracket. Pivotedat 51 to the exterior of the bracket 12 is a ravitylatch 52 one end of which stands adjacent the pole'piece of said magnet,.the other end of said latch projecting inwardly at right angles through an openinginsaid bracket and being beveled, as shownat 53, to engage'a notch 54 in the valve rod when said rod by a movement thereof causes said notch to register with said latch.

The fixed, electrode 47 ,passes through the bl0ck42 and is insulated seated therein a contact Secured at 57 to a-spoke of the flywheel .is a sprin arm 58 carrying at its free end a weighte contact 59 adapted by the rotation of the fly wheel to wipe across the contact 56 once during each rotation of saidwheel while the engine is running at normal or below normal speed. The contact 56in the disk 55 is in circuit with a battery 60 (see Fig. 1) through the circuit wire 61. The other side of the circuit is completed through the wire 62, the primary windin 63 of-the induction coil, the wire 64 which leads tothe binding screw 65 on the engine frame, thence through the frame of the engine to the wiping contact 59 on the free end of the spring arm 58, whereby as often asthe contacts 56. and

, 59 are brought together, the circuit including the source. of electric energy, will be closed through the primar winding of the induction coil. Leading from the wire 62 .is a branch wire 66 which connects with one terminal of the winding of .the electromagnet, the other terminal of said winding-5 being connected to the wlre 67 which leads to the binding post 65, thereby completing a circuit through the coil of the electro-magnet whenever the contacts 56 and 59 are brought together, and energizing said magnet to actuate the latch upon its pivotand withdraw the beveled end thereof from contact with the ,notch in the valve rod, for purposes hereinafter explained.

The secondary winding 68 of the induction coil is connected through the wire 69 with the fixed electrode 47 and through the wire 70 with the movable electrode 44 by grounding said wire on the case 30, whereby upon the closing of the primary circuit, a

enerated in the secondary current will be lines leading to said electro es.

In the operation of the engine, the rotation of the shaft 4 will cause the cam 7 to engage the autifriction roller 13 at the rear end of the valve rod to carry said rod forward to the limit of its' movement, at which time the beveled end 53 of the latch 52 will engage in the notch 54 of said rod and lock it at the liinit of its forward movement. a position of parts shownin Fig. (5, in which position the parts remain while the eng ne is running above normal speed, and in winch position the exhaust valve is opened andthe ignition mechanism and valve rod arc inactive, the spring 14 which returns the valve rod to its normal position remaining under compression. When the speed of the engine falls to or below normal, the spring arm 59 carrying the wiping contact 59 will permit said contact, as the fiy wheel revolves at a slower speed, to wipe over th contact 56 on the disk 55 and close the circuit through the electro-magnet 49,.thereby energizing said magnet and actuating the latch 52 to, release the valve rod 11,- allowing the spring 14 to return said rod to its normal position into contact with the .low point of the cam ring 6. At the time the valve rod has nearly reached the limit of its rearward movement, the oscillatory lever 20 will come into contact withthe stop screw 72 which is mounted in the bracket 12 and which serves as a stopfor said lever, causing it to swing slightly upon its pivot 19'and release the detent from the notch at the lower end thereof. free end of "said detent when so released is caused to swing downward-1y below the plane of said notch through the action of the curved flat spring 25 attached thereto as said spring is allowed to return to its curved form after the disengagement of .the detent from said lever. The position of parts is such that the release and return of the valve rod always takes place at the time the piston has reached the limit of its outward stroke (in engines of the four cycle type) so that the parts are in position upon" the closing of the exhaustvalve to commence the intake stroke, which stroke is completed while the low point of the cam ring is in engagement with the roller in the end of the valve rod. I

"through the port 71 leading to the cylinder.

At the completion of the intake stroke. the compression stroke begins which is illustrated in Fig. 7 in which view the parts are shown in' the position they occupy shortly after the commencement of said stroke, the valve rod having been forcedforward by the cam but the exhaust valve remaining.

closed owing to the fact that the detent 24 is not in engagement with the oscillatory lever 20, permitting-the lower end of said lever to recede when it encounters the stem At the completion of the compression stroke, a position of the parts illustrated in Fig 3, the wiping" contact 59- will encounter the contact'56' at the moment the cam passes fromengagement with the ant-ifriction roller in the end of the valve rod, thereby energizing the electro-magnet 49 'to actuate the latch 52 and release the valve rod to permit its return by the action of the spring 14. It will be noted on re :Eerring to Fig. 7 that as thevalve rod .is advanced on the compression stroke, the upper end ofthe oscillatory lever 20is thrown'forward and the igniter" rod 40 is moved horizont-ally by the combined movement of said leverand the valve rod'to carry the catch 48 thereon past the free end of the spring 45 on the shaft of the movable electrode 44.

The

Upon the return of the valve rod when re leased by the latch 52 at the completion of l the compression stroke and while contacts 56 and 59 are still in engagement, the stop the igniter rod to cause-the catch 48' to slip from the spring 49 and allow the movable electrode to quickly move from contact with the fixed electrode, causing a spark and exploding the compressed charge in the cylinder. At about the time the oscillatory lever encounters the stop screw 72 upon the return of the'va'lve rod, the lower free'end of the spring 25 will engage the forward end of the arm 28 so that the last portion ofthe rearward movement of the valve rod will place a tension upon said spring which will cause the free end of thedetent 24 to bear upwardly against the Inner end of the oscillatory lever and enter the notch 22 in. said lever at the moment the valve rod shall have reached the limit of its rearward travel. The position occhpied by the parts as above described prior to the instant of explosion is shown, in Fig. 3. At the completion of'the explosion stroke, the parts, enter upon the exhauststroke, as shown in Fig. 6. fDuring the period of exhaust, the position of the parts is the same as when the engine is running above normal speed. At the completion of the exhaust stroke should the speed of the enginebe below normal which is the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the wiping contact 59 will engage the contact '56 and energize the electro-magnet to release the valve rod and place the parts in position for the inception of the intake stroke. It will of course be understood-that when the engine is running above normal, centrifugal force will throw the weighted contact 59 outwardly against the actionof the spring arm 58 and prevent its engagement with the contact 56 until the speed of the engine is reduced.

It will now be apparent that by means of the mechanism herein shown and described,

provision ismade for effectively controlling the. valve and ignition mechanism in accordance with the speed of the engine and for alternately actuating the exhaust valve when running at normal speed.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a valve gear and ignition mechanism, the combination with anengineshaft, of'a cam thereon, a reclprocatory valve rod actuated by said cam, an exhaust valve and an igniter actuated by said rod, a latch for locking said rod against movement, an electro-magnet for releasing said rod, an electric circuit including said magnet, and means for closing said circuit at a predetermined means actuated byv the rotation of the engine shaft.

'3. The combination with an engine shaft, of a valve rod actuated thereby, a valve and an igniter actuated by a movement of i said rod, alatch for locking the valve rod,

an electro-magnet for'releasing-said latch, an electric circuit including said magnet and said igniter, and means operated'by a rot-ation of the shaft for closing said circuit.

4. The combination witlr'an engine shaft, of a valve rodactuated thereby, a valve, inde endent of the valverod, means carried by t e valve :rod for causing a movement of said valve jcoilcurrent with the movement of.

' t the rod, said means at intervals permitting a movement ofjthe valve rod without actu-, ating said'valve, means for locking the valve rod against movement, and means actuated by' the rotation of said shaft-for releasing said locking means. 5. In afvalve gear and ignition mechanism, the combination with an engine shaft, of a valve rod actuated thereby, a valve and an igniter-actuated by a movement of said valve rod, a.-latch for locking the valve rod j cluding said'ma against movement, an electro-magnet for releasing said latch, an electric circuit inet and said igniter, a fixed ,contact with Whlch one terminal of said circuit is connected, a wipin contact with which the other terminal 0 said circuit is connected, said wiping contact being carried across the fixed contact as the engine shaft rotates. i

6. In -a va1ve gear and gnition'mechanism, the combination with an engine shaft,

of a valve. rod actuated in one direction thereby, meansfor actuating said rod in the opposite direction, a valve and an igniter connected with said valve rod to be operated by, the travel thereof, a latch for locking the valve rod against movement, an electric circuit including said igniter, 'andmeans actuated in accordance with the speed of the engine for intermittently closing said cir-.

cuit and releasing said latch.

7. The combination with an engine shaft, of a valve rod actuated in one direction only, thereby, a pivoted lever carried by said rod, a valve independent of the valve rod operated by said lever through a movement of said rod, awlatch for locking-the valve rod against movement, and means operated in accordance with the speed of the engine for releasing said latch.

8. The combination with an engine shaft, of a valve rod adapted to be actuated thereby, a valve actuatedby a movement of said rod, a latch for locking t-he valve rod against movement, an electro-magnet for releasing said latch, an electric circuit including said magnet, and a circuit closer movable with the engine shaft and actuated in accordance with the speed thereof to intermittently close saidcircuit;

. 9. The combination with an engine shaft, of a valve rod actuated thereby, a valve, detached from said rod, a pivoted lever carried by the valve rod adapted to move said valve when locked, means for locking said leverto cause it to actuate sald valve by a movement of said rod, and means for releasing said lever to enable a movement of the va ve rod without actuating said valve.

10. The combination with an engine shaft, of a valve rodactuated thereby, a valve, a pivoted lever carried by the valve rod, means for locking said lever to cause it to actuate said valve by'a movementof aid rod, means for releasing said lever to enable a move-' ment of the valve without actuating said valve, means. for locking the valve rod against movement, and means actuated in accordancewith the speed of the engine for releasing said locking means to permit a movement of the valve rod. v

'11. Thecolnbination with an engine shaft,

of a valve rod actuated thereby to travel in one direction, means for moving said rod in the opposite direction, a pivoted lever carried by the valve rod, a valve, means for lockin said lever to cause it to actuate said valve y a movementof said valve rod, means actuated by the travel of the valve rod for releasing said lever to enable a movement of the valve rod without actuating said valve, a latch for' locking thevalve rod against movement, and means actuated in accordance with the speed of the engine for releasing .said'latch. v

12. In a valve gear and ignition mechanism, the combination with an engine shaft,

areciprocatory' valve rod actuated thereby, a pivoted lever carried by the valve rod, a valve, means for locking said lever to cause an actuation of the valve by a movement of said -valve rod, an igniter connected with said lever, means 'for releasing said lever to enable 'a movement of the valve rod without actuating said valve, and means for moving .said lever .upon its fulcrum independently of the movement imparted thereto by the travel of the valverod to actuate the igniter,

'13-. The combination with an engine shaft, of a reciprocatory valve rod actuated there by, a pivoted lever carried by the valve rod, an igniter having a movable electrode, means connecting said movable'electrode with said lever, means for locking said lever against movement on its pivot, a valve actuated by said 1.6"61 when looked through a movement of the valve rod, and means for releasing said lever to permit a movement of the valve rod without actuating said valve.

14:. The combination with an engine shaft, of a reciprocatory valve rod actuated thereby, a pivoted lever carried by the valve rod, an igniter having a movable electrode, means connecting said movable electrode with said lever means for locking said lever against movement on its pivot, a valve actuated by said lever WllQIl'lOCkBd through a'movement of the valve rod, means for releasing said lever to permit a movement of the valve rod withoutactuating said valve, means for locking the valve rod against movement when in its forward position, and means actuated in accordance with the speed of the engine for releasing said locking means to permit a movement of said valve rod.

15. The combination with an engine shaft,

"21 valve rod actuated thereby to move in one direction, means for moving the valve rod in the opposite direction, a pivoted lever carried by the valve rod, a detent for locking said lever against movement upon its pivot in one direction, a valve positioned to be actuated by said lever when locked, and

means for disengaging said detent'from said 

